Mechanical lug with dovetail interlock feature

ABSTRACT

The present invention is directed to a mechanical lug with interlocking features that secures an electrical conductor. The mechanical lug has a main body and a mounting tongue extending from the main body. The main body includes an inner flange and an outer flange. The inner flange has a horizontal member and an interlocking member with angled pockets. The outer flange has hooks with a tapered face positioned in the angled pockets of the interlocking member of the inner flange thereby forming a dovetail interlock.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No.14/323,038, filed Jul. 3, 2014, and claims priority to U.S. ProvisionalApplication Ser. No. 61/844,501, filed Jul. 10, 2013, the subject matterof which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a mechanical lug, and more particularlyto a mechanical lug with an interlock feature.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Mechanical lug connectors are used to secure electrical conductors.FIGS. 1, 2, and 3A-C illustrate prior art mechanical lug connectors. Themechanical lug 10 illustrated in FIG. 1 includes a main body 12 withoverlapping flanges 14, 16 and a mounting tongue 18. The mechanical lug10 does not include any interlocking features. As such, the flanges 14,16 tend to open up and separate from each other when tightening thescrew 20 that secures the electrical conductor positioned therein.

The mechanical lug 30 illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 3A-C is an improvementover the mechanical lug 10 illustrated in FIG. 1. The mechanical lug 30includes a main body 32 with a mounting tongue 42. The main body 32 hasan inner flange 34 with a T-shaped cut out 36 and an overlapping outerflange 37 with a T-shaped flange 38. As illustrated in FIG. 3B, theT-shaped flange 38 of the outer flange 37 is positioned within theT-shaped cut out 36 of the inner flange 34. The side walls 40 of theinner flange 34 are weakened due to the T-shaped cut out 36. As aresult, when the screw 44 is tightened to secure an electricalconductor, the T-shaped flange 38 pulls upward thereby opening up thelug and separating the flanges from each other.

Thus, the flanges of prior art lugs, such as those discussed above, tendto open up and separate from each other as the screw securing theelectrical conductor is being tightened to the specified torque.

Therefore, there is a need for an improved mechanical lug connector withinterlocking features that do not separate when a screw is tightened tosecure an electrical conductor positioned therein.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is directed to a mechanical lug that is used tosecure electrical conductors. The mechanical lug has a main body with amounting tongue extending from the main body. The main body has an innerflange and an overlapping outer flange. The inner flange includes ahorizontal member and an interlocking member with angled pockets. Theouter flange includes hooks with a tapered face. The hooks of the outerflange are positioned in the angled pockets of the interlocking memberof the inner flange to secure the mechanical lug.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a prior art mechanical lug.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a prior art mechanical lug.

FIG. 3A is a perspective view of the prior art mechanical lug of FIG. 2with the outer flange extended prior to overlapping the inner flange.

FIG. 3B is a side view of the prior art mechanical lug of FIG. 2.

FIG. 3C is a cross sectional view of the prior art mechanical lug takenalong line 3C-3C of FIG. 3B.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the mechanical lug of the presentinvention.

FIG. 5A is a perspective view of the mechanical lug of FIG. 4 with theouter flange extended prior to overlapping the inner flange.

FIG. 5B is a side view of the mechanical lug of FIG. 4.

FIG. 5C is a cross sectional view of the mechanical lug taken along line5C-5C of FIG. 5B.

FIG. 6 is a front view of the mechanical lug of FIG. 4.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

FIGS. 4-6 illustrate the mechanical lug 50 of the present invention. Themechanical lug 50 is an integral piece that includes a main body 52 anda mounting tongue 54. The mounting tongue 54 extends from the main body52 and includes a hole 56 for receiving a fastener to secure themechanical lug 50 to a bus bar or other device.

The main body 52 is formed from sheet metal into a generally box shapedesigned to accommodate various sizes of electrical conductors. The mainbody 52 includes a bottom 58, an inner flange 62 and an outeroverlapping flange 66. The bottom 58 is generally V-shaped withserrations 60 for receiving the electrical conductor. The serrations 60increase the wire retention when the conductor is installed therebyimproving the strength of the mechanical lug 50.

As illustrated in FIG. 5A, the inner flange 62 includes a horizontalmember 63 and an interlocking member 64. The interlocking member 64includes open sides that define angled pockets 65. The outer overlappingflange 66 has two hooks 68 with tapered faces 70 and an opening 69. Asillustrated in FIG. 5B, the opening 69 of the outer flange 66 receivesthe interlocking member 64 of the inner flange 62. The hooks 68 withtapered faces 70 are positioned within the angled pockets 65 formed inthe interlocking member 64 of the inner flange 62. The pockets 65 of theinterlocking member 64 and the tapered faces 70 of the hooks 68 providea strong dovetailed interlock.

A tapped hole 72 at the top of the main body 52 extends through both theouter overlapping flange 66 and the inner flange 62. The tapped hole 72accommodates a set or cap screw 74 for securing electrical conductors inthe main body 52.

The dovetailed interlock formed by the inner flange 62 and the outeroverlapping flange 66 prevents the main body 52 from separating when thescrew 74 is tightened to secure the electrical conductor positionedtherein. The interlocking flanges of the mechanical lug of the presentinvention increase the integrity and the strength of the mechanical lugwhen compared to prior art lugs. Additionally, the mechanical lug of thepresent invention is cost effective and easy to manufacture.

Furthermore, while the particular preferred embodiments of the presentinvention have been shown and described, it will be obvious to thoseskilled in the art that changes and modifications may be made withoutdeparting from the teaching of the invention. The matter set forth inthe foregoing description and accompanying drawings is offered by way ofillustration only and not as limitation. The actual scope of theinvention is intended to be defined in the following claims when viewedin their proper perspective based on the prior art.

The invention claimed is:
 1. A mechanical lug for securing electricalconductors, the mechanical lug comprising: a main body having an innerflange and an outer flange; wherein the inner flange having a horizontalmember and an interlocking member, each side of the interlocking memberbeing an open side defining angled pockets; and wherein the outer flangehaving hooks with a tapered face, the hooks of the outer flange arepositioned in the open sides of the inner flange and the hooks of theouter flange engage the angled pockets of the interlocking member of theinner flange.
 2. The mechanical lug of claim 1, wherein the outer flangeover laps the inner flange.
 3. The mechanical lug of claim 1, whereinthe hooks of the outer flange are L-shaped.
 4. The mechanical lug ofclaim 1, wherein the hooks of the outer flange define an opening, theopening receives the interlocking member of the inner flange.
 5. Themechanical lug of claim 1, wherein the inner flange and outer flangemate to form a dovetail interlock.
 6. A mechanical lug for securingelectrical conductors, the mechanical lug comprising: a main body havingan outer flange and an inner flange, wherein the inner flange having ahorizontal member and an interlocking member with open sides that formangled pockets; and wherein the outer flange having hooks with a taperedface, the tapered face of the hooks engage the angled pockets of theinterlocking member of the inner flange to form a dovetail interlock. 7.The mechanical lug of claim 6, wherein the interlocking member isT-shaped.